Saturday, March 14, 2009

Something went wrong with the clicking doovielacker so here is the interview cut&paste. or else you can click HERE and (hopefully!) be directed to .exactly.the.same.story. (but with heaps of other awesome articles too).

Why do you think people are so opposed to the word cunt?

I think most people probably don’t really know themselves why they find the word so offensive. The way it is used has become so established - either spat out in extreme anger and desperation or blotted out to just one letter in the media - that it has taken on a kind of mythic madness and power. People just shy away from even thinking about it - it’s reputation is so distasteful that they don’t seem to realize that this word that they feel is so wounding and disgusting is a word that signifies the wondrous place that we all entered the world from. Of course there are those who think that women and their sexual organs are intrinsically evil and I find it perfectlyunderstandable why these people use ‘cunt’ as a swear word.

Is that a real cunt tattoo on that young lady’s butt?

I haven’t been close enough to give it the spit-&-rub test but I believe so. It’s not the tat that worries me though, it’s more the expression on her face. Quite disturbing.

Do you think that Greg Taylor in part expected and hoped to have some controversy regarding his show?

I don’t know Greg personally but as I understand it the show wasn’t a conceptual one but more of a happy accident - a clay torso he was making exploded in the kiln and he was struck that the cunt fragment was a powerful piece in itself. Of course he can’t have been naive to the provocative impact his work would inevitably have but I don’t believe that stirring up controversy was his stimulus. I couldn’t say the same of my intentions.

What’s the response been like towards your fling ups?

Bemusement / mild embarrassment / hate mail / high-fives

What’s your artistic background?

I don’t have one - at least not a public one - but I think I would wither away if I wasn’t busy creating something or other. I’ve spent a lot of time over the years scribbling in notebooks and scheming up pranks - particularly with my dear friend Rayna Fahey who runs radical craft group Craft Cartel (http://craftcartel.com) with me.

What do you think about creating a global map that is color coordinated to the level of acceptance of the word cunt?

Digging the epic scale of the idea. Does any place accept the word? I imagine a lot of people would get quite hot and bothered about the results: lovely!

Have you used other mediums other than fling ups to dignify cunt?

Undies emblazoned with ‘cunts: deep warm and delightful - NOT offensive’ (subtlety isn’t something I practise on this topic), ‘respect your box’ boxes, Cunt-Catchers (like dream-catchers but with loftier aims), Cunt cakes with jelly beans or cherries as clits and I keep a blog ‘http:/.blogspot/cuntisnotadirtyword.com’ - I did have a facebook group: ‘I don’t find the word ‘cunt’ offensive’ but it got pulled for being “offensive”.Any plans to bring cunts to other towns to enjoy?

Sure - if anyone invites me - I’d be thrilled to swap cunt for board.

What do you recommend people do to promote awareness about cunt’s kinder side?